Just Another War
by Redfeather and C.B
Summary: Post-Hogwarts fic. The war of Voldemort racked everyone's life, but when a new evil arises will our favorite heroes be able to come through and fight again? No slash! r/r
1. Together Again

Just Another War      

Chapter One - Together Again

          The day was sunny and warm. The town of Bristol absorbed the afternoon shine, the buildings seemed to bathe and relax in the warmth. Bristol was a relatively quite town, full of fun and laughter, a very comforting place. However, Bristol was very well known. It was the home of Harry Potter, gladiator of war. 

          Though not many people saw the man these days, he was still there, living in solitude at the very back of town. He lived in a quite house in the wood. The house had an almost creepy look to it, shadowed by overgrown weeds and trees-children claimed it was Harry Potter's ghost that lived there, not Harry Potter in the flesh. 

          There were quite a few rumors in the beginning about the Boy Who Lived, but now they had quieted down a bit. He rarely left the house, and when he did it was usually for a walk in the woods near his home, which were said to be haunted. Harry knew they weren't, but he knew so many things that he wished he didn't...

          Though still very young, he didn't have much of a life by most people standards. Once a Quidditch hero, the war with Voldemort had taken from his one of his arms, now replaced with a robotic one. Quidditch was impossible, especially which Harry's state of mind. Some said he was insane. Some said he was a cannibal. And some said much worse...

          Sadist, rapist, even Dark were some of the things they said, but none of them were. The only thing Harry truly suffered from was depression. He still mourned the loss of his best friend, Hermione Granger, and had lost all contact with the rest of his friends. 

          However, today was a different day. Draco Malfoy, one of the only one's who came out of the war without injury, had contacted him to say he, Ron, and Ginny would be joining him for lunch that afternoon. Suffice to say Harry was not looking forward to it. 

          The war had left their friendship in shambles. Harry knew that Ginny had become a healer, and Ron and Draco had joined the Ministry as Aurors. Harry had done neither. Actually, he did nothing. His fortune was more than enough to carry him on his needs. 

          Harry didn't even try to argue with Draco, he knew much better then that. The last time he argued with Draco his eyes had narrowed in that dangerous way and Harry knew he'd lost. Plus Draco had been a bit pushier for a while. Harry paused to consider that now he was submissive to his former friend but dismissed it, knowing things just happened to be like that.

          Harry sighed and curled up tightly in his chair. It was his favorite chair. Behind him there were quite a few books, books that Harry had just because he liked them. He could get lost in books sometimes, and they reminded him of Hermione. Harry closed his eyes tightly and waited for the dreaded noise of footsteps.

           His friends probably thought him a bum, and he was. He stayed in his house he didn't leave. Ever. He had no reason to; all had been lost to him long ago; Hermione had taken a part of him with her. 

          Their souls, all five of them, had been connected to each other's. And win Hermione died, she took a bit of their soul from each of their body's. She just happened to take the happy part of Harry's. Merlin, he missed her; they all did. 

          Harry struggled not to think too much of Hermione, even though her image was vivid in his mind. But the pain was still too fresh, even after all these years. He didn't really care what they thought of him anymore. He knew what he was and he didn't care. He groaned suddenly, realizing he probably had to make food didn't he? He didn't eat much; in fact he was dangerously thin. But then, why would he care about food?

          Harry rose from his chair and walked into what used to be a kitchen. He looked through the pantry and found nothing. _When's the last time I ate? _Harry wondered silently. He looked around for his wand, which was in his pocket, and magicked up some chicken and rice, then went to lay back down. Harry remembered the first time Draco had first openly admitted he wasn't going to fight with Voldemort. 

          _Harry had been walking back to the Common Room after a particularly hard Potions class with Snape and the Slytherins. He suddenly was lifted off his feet and shoved into an old classroom full of dust. _

_          "Shouldn't you be having teatime with Voldemort right about now?" Harry sneered at him. _

_          "Don't you take me for granted," he had hissed menacingly. _

_          "I wouldn't dream of it, Malfoy." _

_          "Yes, I would be hoping you wouldn't dream of me." Draco smirked and Harry wondered why Malfoy had cornered him here, in this room._

          _"What do you want?" _

_          Draco grinned, "I overheard you and Dumbledore talking about a 'secret' organization called the Order of the Phoenix. What is it?" _

_          Harry's eyes widened, Draco had heard? _Oh well, we've lost now. Might as well tell him._ "It's a organization that fights against Voldemort, I suppose you're going to go off to dad-" Harry was cut off._

_          "I want to join." _

           _"You **what?** Why? Think Dumbledore will spoil you more then your father?"_

_          "Spoil?" Draco chuckled uncharacteristically. "You're thick, aren't you, Potter? Never mind, I want to join."_

_          "You can't join if you're going to sell us to Voldemort." Harry snarled and shoved Draco halfway across the room._

          _Draco stumbled against a desk. He winced and jumped up. He was going paler, which was amazing considering how pale he already was. He looked furious but something in his eyes was scared. Something was wrong..._

_          "I don't work for Voldemort!" Draco shouted, face red from anger. "I'm not _evil_! My father is and I hate him! Okay? I hate him! I hope we kill him and I hope I can do it! I'm not going to sell you to Voldemort I-I don't want to be a death eater."_

Harry had no choice but to believe him. Hermione believed him right away, of course... he could still remember her voice. 

          _Wow, Harry! You think he was serious? You know, I never really thought he was _evil_ per se-stop snickering, Ron, you know what I meant-, just a little on the cruel side. I think it's great he wants to join us!_

Harry stopped himself; thinking about Hermione was just too intricate. Ron, however, had taken a little more convincing. 

          _Well, I think its bullshit, Harry. Malfoy-good? No way. _

_          Oh, come on, Ron, _came Hermione's voice. _What if he was telling the truth? _

_          It's _Malfoy_, Hermione, what're the chances of him telling the truth. Mark my words; if Malfoy joins the Order, we'll all be dead within the week. It's too risky. _

_          Ron, _Harry had chided_, risks are part of war. Besides, the way he said it, his voice-he was telling the truth, Ron, I know it! _

          Dumbledore had refused Draco joining the Order at the beginning, his worries the same as Ron's. But after some convincing from Harry, and an embarrassing interview with Draco, Dumbledore had finally relented.  

          The war had been a bloody one. Draco had been a great addition to their side-Ron grumbled about it for months. Ron and Hermione had slowly fallen in love with each other while himself, Ginny, and Draco just laughed at them. Then it happened. 

          Hermione lost her life through Voldemort himself. Ron had almost jumped on Voldemort and strangled him personally. Draco and Ginny stopped him as Harry performed the very spell that would finish him off forever. Ron had cried for months, refusing to talk to anyone, sinking in his own misery. Hell, they all had been affected, but Ron the most. 

          Dumbledore had also lost his life in the final battle, it was just too much for the old man. He was no match for Voldemort's youth. He had died through the Killing Curse, his last words were "Good luck, Harry!"; words that had touched him forever. 

          Their funeral had been a beautiful one, they all had seen to that. Held in an enchanting wood, full of flowers of all kinds; Rose's, Black-Eyed Susan's, Tulip's, and Harry's favorite; Tiger Lily's. An old friend of Dumbledore's, Mr. Wilburn Crockford had spoken the ceremonial service. Harry still remembered the service...

          _"We love those who care for us, we love those who teach us, we love those who fight with us, we loved those who die for us. Love is unbreakable, true love at least. Mister Albus Dumbledore and Ms. Hermione Granger were two of the most loving, caring people I've ever met, and they will be missed. _

_          "Many people fought in the war against You-Know-Who, many people died. But you must look for the purpose. They gave their lives for us, so we could live in peace. They did it for each and everyone one of you. _

_          "Everybody has a purpose in life, some people two or three. Some find it when they are young, other's not until they're fifty. But everybody has a purpose. Albus and Hermione have found their purpose, and they fulfilled it wholly. As Dumbledore used to say, 'death is but the next greatest adventure,' and it is." _ 

          Harry's thoughts were intermitted by Draco walking up to the front door-Harry caught his eye through the small window next to the door. Harry looked up at him and sunk back against the chair, closing his eyes. He didn't want to face Draco. He really didn't. He didn't want to face any of his old friends, but Draco especially. Ginny would shut her mouth if Harry told her to drop it, and Ron was so deeply scarred by the war that he didn't talk much, but Draco would tell Harry that he was being an idiot. And Harry was sick of someone caring about him.

          Draco knocked on the door. Harry didn't move. Draco knocked again. Harry still didn't move. 

          "You have to let me in sometime, you know!" Draco called from outside. 

          "Do not!" Harry called back, smirking and remembering the days when him and Draco fought all the time....

          _"Potter, you are such a Mudblood lover!" Draco hissed, glaring at his enemy._

_          "And what if I am, Malfoy?" Harry asked with a sigh. "Look I don't want to fight you-"_

_          A sharp punch on his jaw knocked him against the desk. "Malfoy, go to hell!" Harry shouted and shoved him back. "I said I didn't want to fight!"_

_          "I do. So we're fighting."_

_          Harry spun around and walked out. "I hate you, Malfoy."_

_          "Hate you, too, Potter." Draco called in mock sweetness._

          Harry tried to ignore the knocking but it just got louder. "POTTER!" Draco shouted. "Don't make me break the window!"

          "Harry please," Ginny's meek voice came. "Please let him in, come on, lets not fight . . . "

          Harry wanted to say, "shut up, Ginny", but he knew Ginny was too sweet to be hurt again so he sighed and opened the door. "Happy, Malfoy you whoremonger?"

          "Shut up," Draco said, eyes narrowing.

          "Where's Ron?" Harry asked, noticing his absence. 

          "He'll be here in a bit, wanted to come by himself," Ginny said sweetly. Harry knew Ginny still pitied Ron because of Hermione, so he didn't have to ask why he wanted to come alone.

          "Why are you here, anyway?" He asked Draco, as he and Ginny stepped inside, "you never told me." 

          "I'll you when Ron gets here," Draco said with a smirk and Harry fought the urge to growl and snarl. Draco hadn't changed a bit. 

          "Harry, Draco," Ginny said warningly as they started glaring at each other. "Let's not start this again, okay?" 

           "Yes, mother," Draco said sarcastically, but saw the look on Ginny's face and added, "okay, Ginny, I'll try not to fight."

          One thing Harry had to reluctantly give Draco credit for, was that he minded Ginny. Harry sat back down and picked a book up, then curled into his little ball.

          He expected Draco to make a snide remark but he didn't. He was looking at something; he was looking at a picture. A picture of Harry's mother; it was when she was young and Harry was only a few days. She was holding her child lovingly, holding him to her while she sang. There were tears in her eyes and it look Harry a moment to recognize the look in Draco's eyes. Envy. He had it for Dudley when he was young. Harry had always wanted a mother.

          "What, your mother can't sing?" Harry asked, still annoyed.

           "Harry!" Ginny gasped.

          Draco snarled and almost lunged at Harry but stopped himself. He had enough self-control to stop himself. "You know damn well what my mother was like." Draco hissed and set the picture down, and started pacing.

          "Is it my fault your mom was too obsessed with your goddamned father to notice you?" Harry snarled cruelly, glaring. 

          "Harry!" Ginny yelled, "stop it, right now!" 

          Harry instantly quieted, and thought to himself, _why is it we all obey Ginny like we do? _Perhaps it was her redhead temper. Perhaps it was her innocence, wanting everyone to like each other. Harry didn't know. 

          Draco had gone another shade of pale and he looked down quietly. "Potter, I stopped insulting your family along time ago. Think you can get off my back? Lord knows I've had enough and I don't need you reminding me about back then. That was a dark time and I don't need it, okay?"

          Harry stopped and looked at Draco and nodded slowly. "Sorry." He said slowly, knowing he was being a bit cruel. Draco nodded and a little, just a little smile came on his lips. 

          "Thank you." Ginny said softly. "Much better," she added, "I really hate it when you two fight."

          "Sorry, Ginny," they both said at the same time. Ginny grinned triumphantly; she still had it. 

          There was a soft, almost inaudible, knock at the door and the room was silent. They knew it was Ron outside the door. But would his reunion with Draco be as bad as Harry's, or worse?

           Harry opened the door. Ron was standing there trembling, his eyes quick and dark. On his face were long scars from battle and Harry nodded him in. "Are we safe here?" Ron asked quickly.

          "Safe from what?" Harry asked curiously.

          "Everything." Ron hissed and looked around.

          "Yes," Draco said in such a firm tone that Ron believed him. "Sit. Everyone."

          "I think I'll stand," Harry said sharply.

          "Sit, Harry," Draco growled, then looked at Ginny and sighed. "Please?" she asked hopefully.

          Harry sat. Ginny smirked. 

          "So," Draco embarked, "how is everybody?"

          Harry glared from his seat next to Ginny, "Draco ... "

          "Right. So," he began again, "is everybody feeling well, I hope?"

          "Malfoy!" Ron declared loudly, his voice dark and mysterious. 

          "Sorry, sorry. I forgot how vigorous you two are together."

          "We are not," said Harry insolently. Ginny rolled her eyes. 

          "Are too," argued Draco. 

          "Are not," glowered Ron. 

           "Are too." Draco repeated.

          "ARE NOT!" Harry said, trying to hide a small smile. Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at the two. 

          "You sound like old married people." Draco said playfully. If Harry hadn't knew Draco was just trying to lighten the mood, he would have punched him. "_We _do?" 

          "Yes, _you _do."

          "Men ... " Ginny said gently. "Harry, is there anything to drink here?"

          "Probably not," Harry said lightly, trying to avoid the fact that he hadn't eaten in a few days.

          "Harry ... " Ginny began with worry. "Have you-"

          "Draco," Harry said brightly, ignoring Ginny, "what are you here for?" 

          "Harry..." Ginny started again, this time Ron and Draco looking at him too. "Why aren't there any drinks here?" 

          "I haven't gone shopping in a while, okay?"

          "Harry..."

          "Shut up," Harry said, even brighter. 

           "Don't tell her to shut up," Draco snapped.

          Ginny waved her hand. "He didn't mean it, Draco," she said, and she knew Harry didn't. Both Harry and Draco were gentle with her and she knew Harry didn't mean anything.

          "Why aren't there drinks?" Draco asked.

          "Because."

          "Because why?"

          "Because..." Harry said slowly. "I don't get very hungry."

          "How long since you last ate?"

          "A week, maybe..." Harry said quietly.

          Draco punched him.

          "Draco!" Ginny yelled as blood spilled from Harry's nose onto the couch. "That was totally uncalled for!" 

          "If he really wanted to kill himself, I just thought I would help him." 

          "Malfoy... you ... you... gah!" 

          "It's his fault." 

          "Draco, you shouldn't have," Ginny said, pulling out her wand and fixing Harry's nose. 

          "_Out_," Harry said menacingly, "_now_." 

          "No," Draco growled. "_Eat_. _Now_. I only did that because I care-"

          "Oh, I only hit you because I care. Yes, London, we're being bombed because, you see, they love us." Ron snarled viciously.

           "Oh," Harry laughed, "we're being bombed. I smell cinnamon!"

          "Shut up!" Draco roared. He whipped out his wand and for a moment Harry thought he would curse him but all he did was conjure up some food. "Eat, you idiot."

           "Please," Ginny begged, her eyes spilling over in tears. Harry wrapped his real arm around her and hugged her, then ate a sandwich.

          "Happy, you stupid homosexual ape?"

          "Challenge my sexuality again and I'll hit you a whole lot harder." Draco growled and Harry knew to shut up. When he talked like that, well, you just went did shut up.

           "That's better," said Draco. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes, how is everyone feeling?" 

          "Draco," Ginny warned, "just get on with it." 

          "Okay, fine," he said, knowing better than to argue with Ginny. He took a deep breath and said, "the Ministry's in panic. There have been murders everywhere. No one's been caught yet, but we all know that we didn't catch all the Death Eater's right?"

          "You're not saying..." Harry began, having the sneaking suspicion that Ginny and Ron already knew all about this. 

          "That's right. The Ministry wants you to fight, Harry, as well as the rest-"

          "No." All heads turned to him mouths agape. "I won't fight. I left that life a long time ago."

          "Selfish bastard!" Draco shouted suddenly. "What would Hermione say? 'Oh, I got hurt like everyone else so I won't help mankind!' "

          "_Shut the Hell up_!" Harry screamed and jumped up. Ginny started crying. Ron looked lifeless. "_Don't even talk about Hermione, it was your fault anyway!"_

          Draco's mouth fell open and a knot came into his stomach. He closed his eyes. "You're right, Harry, it was my fault. I know that. I could have... should have... I'm sorry. But she's dead and-"

          Harry punched him.

          Ginny just cried harder, and pressed her face against a pillow.

          Draco grabbed Harry by the throat and held him to a wall. He squeezed lightly. "Harry, I won't fight you. You used to be my best friend and I won't hit you ever again. Not unless you hurt yourself. I don't care what you do to me. Punch me-go ahead. When I let go you can punch me all you like." Draco said with venom and let go.

          Ginny suddenly slapped both of them on the back of the head. "Stop it! Look at Ron," she added so they couldn't hear. Both of their heads turned in Ron's direction; he was sitting on the couch and looking as if he was going to faint any second. 

          Both Harry and Draco mentally apologized to each other. Harry took his seat on the couch next to Ginny again.... Why had he said the thing's he did? Hermione's death was in _no way _his fault.         

           Harry sighed. He looked at Draco with curious eyes. He looked fragile but Harry well knew he had strong muscles that could faintly be seen. He frowned and saw the eyes he used to know by heart were now closed from the world, and Harry. He sighed again.

          "What's wrong?" Ginny asked lightly.

          "Nothing," Harry said simply. "Draco, Hermione's death wasn't-"

          "Yes it was," Draco hissed. "It was entirely my fault and don't talk about it. It was my fault and my fault alone. Now... onto other things."

          "It wasn't," Ron said.

          Draco would have glared but he was gentle with Ron, too. He was rough with Harry because he knew Harry needed it sometimes, to help himself. Get set on the right track again. But Draco thought what Harry wanted most was to be leader again. He could see it in his eyes. 

          "It was mine." Harry had never heard three words that were filled with so much pain, anger, and sadness in his life. But Ron's were, those three words made him want to fight again, to kill this evil that was rising up. Why couldn't the world just live without evil?

          I'll do it," he said announced Ginny hugged Ron tightly and held him close. 

          "Do what?" Draco asked, completely forgetting the subject and looking at Ron with unseeing eyes. 

          "I'll fight." 

          Everyone looked at him. 

          "Now we're getting somewhere." Draco smirked widely.

          "That happens with you," Harry said absently.

  
          "What?" Draco asked, though not angry.

  
          "You get things moving," Harry said.   
  


          "Thank you, Potter," Draco said, then added. "I think."

  
"Harry." He said firmly. "My name is Harry and you know that. I don't like think called Potter." This wasn't entirely a lie. It was just that being called "Potter" reminded of his Hogwarts days, and that reminded him of how happy he was there. Then it reminded him that he wasn't allowed to be happy anymore. So Harry decided he didn't want to be called "Potter" anymore. 

  
          "Sorry, Harry," Draco said with a bigger smirk. "I'm allowed to use your first name now?"

  
          "Shut up and go on with the whole fighting the darkness, Malfoy."  
  


            "Yes sir, Captain!" 

          "Ha, ha," Ginny laughed sardonically, then added under her breath, "some things never change."  
  
          "Like what?" Asked Harry, though his mind wasn't really in the question. He was staring at Ron, who still looked incredibly upset, with worried eyes.   
  
"         "Like the fact that you two never stop fighting ever."  
  
          "We don't fight _all_ the time," said Draco.   
  
          "Yes we do," argued Harry.  
  
          "Do not."  
  
          "Do too." 

          "S_ee_?" yelled Ginny, frustrated. 

          "Well, well, well." Harry began but couldn't think of a witty comeback. 'Well, _ha_! I was right anyway!'  
  


          "Shut up, Pot-Harry. Sorry."  
  


          "Oh, no, I'll never forgive you." Harry said threateningly, just to make Ginny smile. She did.  
  


          So Draco smiled half way, not a smirk, a smile. So Harry smiled. Harry shot another contemptuous glance at Ron, but Ron's eyes didn't meet his. They were staring transfixed at the window.   
  


          "Ron?" Draco asked, looking worried. "What's wrong?"  
  


          "There's a Death Eater outside the window."  
  


          Harry looked and there, clad in all black, was the obvious make of a Death Eater. He gulped. 

          "Do you ever use magic anymore?" Draco questioned.   
  
          "Of course, I used right before you got here. By the way, there's chicken and rice in the kitchen."  
            
          "Harry!"   
  
          "What?"   
  
          "I've been sitting here, starving to death, and you've had a perfectly fine meal in the kitchen the whole time?" The voice was Ginny's, and he hadn't heard her this annoyed in quite some time. But, hell, he hadn't seen her in quite sometime either. 

          "Sorry," Harry said meekly. He spun around and saw the doorknob move. His heart stopped. Ginny started trembling. Draco even looked pale. Ron was close to screaming. The door opened.

  
          "_Crucio!_" Draco and Harry shouted in unison. They could do what they pleased; the Ministry didn't bother them. Luckily for the Death Eater, he was quick and dodged both. "_What the hell is wrong with you_?' The words were said very fast, very loud, and in a very familiar voice. 

  
          "_Sirius_?" Harry was stunned, to say the least. "I'm sorry! We thought you were a death eater-your pale-and-and"

          "Jesus Christ, come to visit your godson and nearly get your balls cursed off!"

          "Sirius!" Ginny said, in mock scolding.

          "Well, it's true." 

          "Sirius? What are you doing here?" Harry was stunned; he hadn't seen Sirius in over a year. And, suddenly, on this day of all of them, was here on his doorstep. "That's not quite the greeting I was looking for, but 'hi' anyhow." Sirius took Harry again by surprise and hugged him. Harry shrunk back instinctively.   
  
          "Something wrong, Harry?" Sirius asked.   
  
          "Er-no," Harry said in what he hoped was a comfortable voice.   
  
          "Liar," said Ron all of a sudden. All heads turned in his direction.   
  


"What?" Harry asked.  
          

"When you don't know when the last time you ate; something's wrong. When you don't leave your house; something's wrong. When you can't stand being near people, even if they used to be close to you like a brother," Ron frowned softly, and it was obvious he missed having a best friend; "Something's wrong."

          "Harry, when's the last time you ate?' Sirius asked in concern.

  
          "Oh, get off my bloody back about food!' Harry snapped, but immediately regretted it. Sirius' eyes were pained and hurt. "I'm sorry, I'm stressed," to make it up, he hugged his Godfather.

  
          Ron's eyes darkened, secretly knowing Harry would never be close to him like that again. He knew Harry would never trust him. He knew Harry hated him. 

          "Harry..." Sirius was far from convinced that Harry was all right. Secretly he blamed himself for not being around more. He had been working with the Ministry for quite sometime and neither Draco nor Ron had said anything bad about Harry. But it was just then he realized that Ron, Ginny, or Draco hadn't had anymore contact with Harry then he had.   
  
          "I'm fine, don't worry about me."   
  
          "It's my job to worry."   
  
          "It's your job to work as an Auror."   
  
          "Smart-ass." Harry smiled as happily as he could. 

          "I get it from the best. Being a smart-ass is in my blood. I think you're aware of that." Harry said lightly. "Oh, Ginny! I forgot the food! Hold on." He walked into the kitchen, grabbed the food, and put it back down on the small coffee table in the living room.

  
          "How come you don't eat but you can make great smelling food?' Sirius asked curiously.

          "He's a powerful wizard. He's also anorexic." Draco said playfully. Harry chased after him and Draco, who was laughing like a mad man, struggled not to kill any small animals that might live under the carpet. 

          It was common knowledge that Harry's house was old and he'd bought it for practically nothing at all. Harry suddenly stopped and rested his good arm on the table, winded and out of shape. He bent his robotic arm to his chest and tried to hide it best he could. Though everyone knew Harry's left arm was robotic, he was still self-conscious about it.   
  
          "Draco..." Harry coughed. "Stop."   
  
          "God, your out of shape."   
  
          "Shut up. Now, can we finally get back to the subject of this 'evil'?" 

          "Yeah, yeah." Draco said absently. "Lets eat first."

  
          "The suspense is killing me." Harry said deadly.

  
          "Harry," Ginny said, taking a bite. "This is great!"

  
          "Mm-hmm," Sirius said. "And I'm here, Harry, because Draco said to come."

          "And everyone listens to Draco?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

  
          "Pretty much." The blond gave a grin and continued eating.

  
          "Bastard," Harry muttered.

  
          "No, I'm not fatherless. My father was a jerk, but I knew him. Unfortunately.' Draco said lightly.

  
          "Oh, shut up," Harry muttered and nibbled on some rice. "You're as close to fatherless as can be."  
  
          "I know someone that's more fatherless than me."

          "Who?" Harry stared.   
  
          "You." In a instant, Draco knew he'd said the wrong thing, for Harry had dropped his fork and was now glaring daggers at Draco. "Harry," Ginny put a hand on his chest. "He didn't mean it."   
  
          "Like hell he didn't!" 

          "Harry. _Stop_," the voice was Ron's. Harry stopped instantly, why was _Ron _protecting_Draco? _It wasn't natural. "Ron  ... has your body been taken over by alien's in the past ten minutes that we were unaware of?"

          "Er ... no." Ron looked at him with confused eyes. 

          "Oh, okay," Harry resumed eating-carefully ignoring Draco but in a way still listening. 

          End Of Chapter One.

          Redfeather's A/N: YAY! Ficness chapter one up. God, these people fight a lot…. A lot, a lot. Don't worry, it's only going to get worse from here! What about this NEW evil? Heh. I know that sounds really cliché but WORK WITH ME HERE!

C.B's A/N: We all know Slytherins are better and Draco's a sexy bitch!!!!

RedFeather: Ignore my friend here. She hurt her head. *winks exaggeratedly* J.K, C.B.

Disclaimer: We don't own it, and if you sue us we'll sue right freaking BACK. 

  
  


  
  


            
  



	2. Missions Imbossible

Just Another War – Chapter Two

The pale blonde instantly felt bad about what he said to Harry and though it wasn't like him, he wished he could take it back. He never actually would, but it was the thought that counts, right? That was how Draco felt, anyhow. Harry was still glaring daggers at him, but he was not resisting Ginny's hand on his chest. Draco felt his eyes drift to Harry's robotic arm. It looked so... _unnatural._

It wasn't visibly robotic-it was covered with fake skin-, but the way it moved was so jerky and swift you could tell it wasn't a real arm. Draco absently remembered that scene of the War.

Potter let out an ear-splitting shout of pain, and Draco turned his head towards him. He was kneeling on the dusty ground, blood pouring from a spot just below his elbow. Another scar for Potter, Draco thought savagely. Potter regained his ground and pulled out his wand. "Avada Kedavra!" he yelled at the opposing Death Eater. The black-clad man fell to the ground, dead as the dirt that covered the barren land on which they fought. 

Draco turned back to his own enemy; he would worry about Potter later, this was important. His supernatural enemy hissed at him and raised a clawed hand to strike. Draco raised his wand and bellowed, "Redire Aninum Mundum!". The creature shrieked wildly, then disappeared in a cloud of maroon smoke. That was the last of their enemies. He wondered how Ron and Ginny were doing; Ron and Ginny had split up with them when they had reached a fork in the road-around ten miles back. 

"Potter!" he called, "are you alright?" He knew it was a stupid question, but he couldn't stop himself from asking. "Like Hell I am!" Potter yelled back. A stupid answer for a stupid question….

Draco sighed, and took a small bite of the chicken and rice. It tasted fine, but he wouldn't admit that. He choked a little as his eyes wandered to the picture of Potter's mother. But now it wasn't Potters mum, it was his mother. And his dad was holding the knife above the small boy's arm and now blood was pouring… Draco screamed. 

_Images of black, morbid murders surfaced in his mind. His father once again stood over him and he cowered back against the familiar wall of Malfoy Manor. He held a knife-a beautiful curved, steel blade and a woven leather handle. The light from the room made the blade shine with an intense flame. His father loomed over him, ready to strike at any moment. He covered his face with his hand instinctively. His father brought down the knife...._

Something hard slapped his face. He jumped and stirred. He was in Potters house-what was he doing there?-and Sirius stood in front of him looking worried. "Draco... are you all right?" 

Draco suddenly realized what happened; he had another mental flash-a power only special wizards had. It was sort of like a premonition, but only showed horrible images of your past that you never wanted to see again... It was more of a curse than a power, Draco thought. He had first received the mental flashes when he was seventeen; they had been with him since. 

Every once and a while, they'd appear and he would go to into sort of a trance-like state. They never seemed to happen when something important was going on though. Sometimes they would happen when he was eating, or showering, but never when he was battling or working. It was odd. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a mental flash."

"You're creepy sometimes, you know," said Harry, who, in the heat of the moment, had forgotten all about the father crack Draco had made. 

"I know," Draco alleged gently.

"Oh, shut up!" Sirius said stridently. "Now, lets finish eating; Harry, have you got anything to drink?"

"No."

"Why?"

Ginny burst out laughing. "Harry, you idiot! Conjure up something to drink!"

"Oh…" Harry said sluggishly and conjured up some milk.

Sirius laughed and conjured some soda. "Harry, dear, un-shut-ins drink this," he said and handed Harry a can.

"Oh, right."           

Draco watched Harry take a huge swig out of the soda can. Suddenly, Harry face contorted and he seemed to barely be able to swallow it. "Merlin! It's so... sweet, and sugary!" he said and reached for the milk he had previously fabricated. "That's normally why we drink it, Harry," said Ginny sweetly with a teasing timbre. 

Harry coughed, "I don't see how."

"Easy," Sirius said. "Put it to your lips. Spill some in your mouth. Swallow. _Good_!"

"Shut up!"' Harry snapped and imbibed the milk. "You're all just weird!"

Draco smirked and drank his soda.

"Oh, and Sirius?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Yeah?"

"Ever," Harry said in a warning tone, "ever call me dear again, and you're dead."

Once everyone had cleared their plates and their sodas, Draco announced, "we should go. Minister Zabini wants to see us... immediately." It was common knowledge of Blaise Zabini's sudden jump through the Ministry. With her grades and charm, the Wizarding World had naturally voted her for Minister. "I guess we already broke that rule," said Sirius fondly.

"Let's go," said Draco and Apparated. The rest pictured the Ministry building and followed suit.

Sirius walked into the building and hissed at a few officials, glaring. Harry walked behind him, sniggering. It was superior until Draco passed the office. _The_ office-the office where his father used to work. He gulped. He couldn't move past the door. He remembered being beaten senseless inside that room. They all heard the screams and they didn't care, didn't give a fuck. Draco slid back in his mind…

_"Stupid, stupid, STUPID!"_

_"Father I'm sorry-" the pale boy cowered as a hand whacked him. He fell over. The man brought out a wand from his pocket. "This should teach you, you lazy boy-"_

_The boy screamed and twisted around, crying. The pain-oh god it hurt. He tried to focus on something cheerful but what was cheerful in his life? He heard footsteps approaching the room. "Help!" Draco cried, scared out of his wits. His father laughed and kicked him. Someone walked in. "Lucius-oh, I'll come back."_

_They left, Draco sobbed. They left, and I'll never ever leave._

It was Harry this time that took him by the shoulders and brought him back to reality. "Damnit, you got to stop doing that," he said. 

"It's not like I can help it." 

"I bet you could if you tried!" Harry said fiercely. 

"I could not!" 

"Could too!"

"I see something's never change," a feminine voice said. Blaise Zabini walked towards them, dressed in very official robes that suited her high-ranking position. Her long, flowing blonde tresses hung to her waist, plated and tied with denim colored ribbons. Her violet eyes sparkled with laughter. Though Blaise was the Minister of Magic, she treated everyone in the Ministry as equals-no matter what his or her rank. She was always open to ideas and suggestions; she was also a believing person. Meaning, she didn't need evidence to make her believe something. 

"Shut up!" Draco snapped, though it was at Harry. "_It's not my fault, so shut the hell up!"_'

Harry growled and sauntered towards Blaise. "Hi," he said softly. It was good to see Blaise again. "Your agent is a pompous asshole!" Blaise grinned and nodded.

Luckily, Sirius was there to hold Draco back. "Stay," Sirius growled, "and shut up, Harry."

"But I don't want to!" Harry whined, much like a spoilt child. Draco noticed Harry visibly calm himself, red in the face. "Er... yeah... sorry," he said, blushing. 

"Moron," said Draco.

"Shut up," Ginny snapped, "you don't need to be picking fights."

"I'm so glad one of you has a brain," said Blaise thankfully. Though she was the Minister of Magic, Draco knew she thought them as equal to her as they had been at Hogwarts. "Hey!" Ron, Harry, Draco, and Sirius interjected. "I resent that!" All of them exchanged glances, blinked, and then laughed.

"You mean resemble?" Ginny asked amiably, smiled, and turned to Blaise. "They haven't stopped fighting since we arrived at Harry's flat! It's like having children!"

"A Marauder, a Marauders son, a Malfoy and a Weasley; what did you expect?" Blaise asked. Ginny smirked. "Come into my office, we have work to do."

Draco and Harry glared at each other, and then followed Blaise through the Ministry building and into her office. There were five cushioned chairs sitting there. Blaise waved her had and invited them to sit down. Harry, who had not sat in such a comfortable chair since his Hogwarts days, sunk and relaxed in the chair. The rest of the group sat straight, pale-faced, and serious. "It's good to have you back, Harry," Blaise told him with a smile.

"I never said anything was permanent," he replied blankly. Blaise blinked and, for a second, her eyes looked hurt and confused. She looked at Draco who shrugged back and try to give her the impression, "Well, I got him to agree to this assignment, didn't I?" Blaise nodded. "We shall see, Harry," she said, "we shall see." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded, eyes blazing. 

"It means," said Ron, "that you're reading to much into it." 

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley." 

"You're welcome," said Sirius, beaming. Blaise smiled and shook her head. Draco rolled his eyes. Sirius Black could be such an idiot at times. It was like he was trying to make up for the youth he missed. Draco didn't have a problem with this, but the man was nearly fifty years old! It was time to start growing up a bit. Even Weasley-Ron-was more mature than Sirius was, and that, in Draco's not-so-modest opinion, was saying something. _Fifty years old, indeed._

"I have here," said Blaise, interrupting his thoughts and laying her hand on a stack of papers. "A profile on each person that has been murdered recently. Ginny," she turned her attention to the young healer, "I want you to go through these and see if you can find anything in common between the victims. Sirius, you help her with this." Sirius and Ginny nodded confidently.

"Draco, Harry, and Ron, I want you to go to each of the victims houses and look for clues and traces of the murder or murders. Understood?" The three of them nodded not un-similar to the way Ginny and Sirius had. "Good. Then you are dismissed." 

Draco had a sudden thought. "What are you going to do, Blaise?" he asked.

"I'm going to sit back, relax, and drink lemonade," she said sarcastically. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to be recruiting help for this mission. After the fall of Voldemort," she looked at the five of them, "I thought we were rid of evil. I guessed wrongly, and the world is paying for it." 

"Blaise," said Harry softly, "no matter how hard you try, there is always going to be evil in the world. There's always going to be that _one_ person who wants to make everyone else miserable. All we can do is keep get rid of it. And, maybe, one day, there won't be evil any more."

"Thank you, Harry," she said, standing up and walked them to the door. She opened the door for them and they walked out. She waved cheerfully to them with a smile, notwithstanding her mood. 

Back at Harry's flat-Draco decided this was their base-Ginny and Sirius were busy filing through records. "Sirius," Ginny said, "there's nothing in common about these people. Someone's just killing for sport." 

"Keep looking, Gin," he replied, surfing through the huge stack of papers, "we may be missing something." 

"I doubt it," Ginny countered, but kept surfing through his papers.

"Well, stop doubting,"' Sirius said firmly. "Death Eaters kill for sport, but they have something in common, all of them. Perhaps we should look at the victims parents or relatives…."

"Great idea!" Ginny said, jumping up. She picked up some parchment and scribbled down a note then sent an owl off to Blaise. "You're a genius, Sirius."

"I'm aware," he said lightly, and smiled.

"Well," Ginny said, sitting down and setting the paper down on the coffee table. "Now all we have to do is wait for Blaise's information on the victims parents." She didn't really see how this information could help. But, then again, Harry was wanted because all of the Potters' were wanted, right? _Right_, she confirmed herself in thought, _think positive, Ginny, think positive._ Back in their Hogwarts days, when they were still in war, Harry had told her it was her one fault.

"You're too pessimistic, Ginny," he had told her, "think positive. If you think negatively, you'll just get negative results, in war and in life." Harry spoke so passionately sometimes, sometimes he was a real jerk sometimes though. She supposed this was just his mother and father coming out in him. "What are you thinking about?" asked Sirius. 

"Oh, nothing," she said softly, going slightly red.

"Liar," Sirius said quietly and continued his work. "Hey, both these people were killed. And they both like pink; maybe that's it. They were obsessed with pink, in fact, their house was pink-inside and out. And they only wore pink."

"Yuck!" Ginny said.

"Hell, I'd kill them, too," Sirius said playfully. Ginny swatted his head and looked through her papers. "I'd kill myself." Ginny said quietly with a sigh.

Ginny shuffled through some of the papers. After a few minutes, she looked and looked at Sirius. "Pink?" she asked and they both laughed appreciatively. 

"Hey," she said, "what about these two? They both had dogs...." Ginny snorted. This wasn't working; hardly _any_ of these people had _anything_ in common. Ginny wanted so bad to help and find some evidence, but there just _wasn't _any. _Think positive, Ginny_. 

 "Okay, this isn't working," said Sirius, "I suppose we'll just have to wait for Blaise's info." 

"Think positive, Sirius."

"Oh, shut up!" Sirius said, conjuring up some lemonade. He took a sip and let out a nice, long "aah!" after he finished. 

"Well, really, Sirius, all's dandy in the world. People dieing, childless parents, starvation, but, hell, we've got McDonalds so it'll all be okay!" Ginny did not really _mean_ this, but it seemed the right thing to say at the time. A Weasley spurt, one might call it. 

Sirius spit his lemonade out laughing. "Ginny, you freak!" he said.

"No, I'm just a Weasley," she said congenially. "Want a cookie?"

"Ginny, it's not the time for cookies," Sirius said, taking a bite.

"Oh," Ginny said, "so your morals rise as your stomach fills?"

"Basically," said Sirius, grabbing another and eating it. Ginny smirked. "Well," she said, "take the whole plate then." Sirius glared and accepted the plate with a grin on his face. "I'm doomed," said Ginny, "Sirius Black on sugar high." Then Ginny added randomly, "Sirius, how did you _ever_ manage to stay single?"

"I didn't," Sirius said, not catching the humor. "In fact-"

"Shut up, I don't want to know."

"Oh, thanks."

"Sirius, wait a second," Ginny hit his arm with her hand. "Look at this. The Death Eaters supposedly killed one man of this family but not his twin sister, why do you think that is?" 

"Odd," said Sirius absently. Ginny knew he didn't think that was anything important. Ginny, on the other had, did think it was essential, but didn't say anything.

Sirius didn't reply. "Sirius," Ginny said. "Do you think Remus would be any help here? This seems like his type of thing." 

"Remember, Ginny?" Sirius replied, "him and your other brothers are already on another mission." 

"Oh, yeah," she replied, dully disappointed. Remus could have been such a help to them now. _They needed another person with brains,_ Ginny thought. _Sirius doesn't count. If only Draco was here, he's great at this type of thing. _

Sirius suddenly started spinning the empty cookie plate around on his finger, thus proving Ginny's "brain" theory. Yes, they definitely need another person. "Sirius!" she said. "Would you please pay attention?" 

"Oops," he said, setting the plate down and reaching for his stack of papers. "Sorry, Ginny."

"When will Blaise write back?" Sirius moaned ten minutes later.

"I think we need another person," Ginny said quietly.

'What are you insinuating?' 

"That we need another person," Ginny said lightly and conjured up some soda. She sipped her and calmly awaited Blaise's owl.

It took two hours for Blaise's owl to return. Partly because it took the strength of two owls to carry all the paperwork, and partly because Blaise was busy with the recruits; or so Ginny assumed. Which, she remembered briefly, you shouldn't do. _Remember_, she thought. _Draco explained the consequences of assuming to you._

Blaise's personal note was a short and rushed, "keep up the good work guys!" followed by her flowing, cursive signature. Ginny groaned and began shifting though the new paper work, as did Sirius. "DAMNIT!" Sirius suddenly yelled.

'What?' Ginny asked, alarmed.

"I got a paper cut!" Sirius groaned. Ginny burst into laughter. "It's not funny!" Sirius whined then continued going through the paper work. " 'Know what, I found something in common!"

"_What_?" Ginny gasped. "_What is it_?"

"They all got killed."

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!' Ginny shrieked, cuffing him behind the head, hardly. She repeated the process three times.

"_Ow! Stop it! It's true!_"

"That was _totally_ inappropriate!" Ginny told him fiercely. "What a heartless, cruel, killer-like thing to say!" 

"You know how much you look like your mum right now, Gin?"

"Flattery will get you _no where_ Sirius Black." 

"It was worth a shot."

"Sirius…" Ginny said warningly.

"Well, I was suspected of killing thirteen Muggles and being a Death Eater, so can't I make bad remarks?"

"NO YOU CAN'T!' Ginny shouted and angrily went back to the paperwork. 

"I'm sorry." Sirius said sweetly and began working.

"Damn you!" Ginny snapped. "You have too much charm and you're voice is too sweet. I'm supposed to be mad here!"

"Sorry." Sirius repeated.

"Oh shut up." Ginny said and smiled.

Shuffling through file after file, Ginny still couldn't see anything in common between the people murdered. She found herself wanting Draco's help more and more with each passing minute. Not that she had any feelings for him, but she was positively certain that would've already gotten somewhere with his-or Harry's-help. It was all just so hard. She was a Healer! It wasn't her job to sort through papers.

Far away, in the balmy country of Glasgow, Scotland, a search was taking place. Two men, obviously Ministry Aurors, and a man rumored to look like Harry Potter were investigation houses. Whether this man was actually Harry Potter or not, witches and wizards were anxious to know. One of the men, a tall, red-haired one, seemed annoyed by all this attention. 

"Go away!" he shouted at the mob of onlookers. "You're not wanted here!" However, to his anger, they were not listening to him. "Look!" they called in unison. "It _is_ Harry Potter! He's come back!" Harry was suddenly caught up in the crowd of vicious reporters and fans and had to be eventually rescued by the blonde and red-haired men. He straightened his robes and they walked towards a white house with pink shuddered. All men visibly shuddered at the vibe the house gave off.

Though it was mainly white on the outside, the inside was purely pink. All shades of pink decorated the small flat, dark pink, hot pink, light pink and even a lavender-like color. The only thing that was not pink was the bloodstains on the vibrant pink carpet. 

"Gross," Harry groaned, looking at the all pink rooms and chairs. "These people were maniacs."

"Harry, shut up and work, please?" Draco asked, shuffling through some papers on the fireplace. "I'm going upstairs, maybe something will help up there," he announced. 

"We're coming, too," said Harry and Ron simultaneously. They proceeded to tromp up the stairs after Draco, thumping as they went along. The first room they stopped in was a loft of some sort. Hot pink lounge chairs and a pale, pink couch decorated it, there was a small, clear box lying sideways on the floor. The box stirred. 

"There's something _alive_ in there!" said Harry amazedly; usually when Death Eaters attacked, they left no signs of life. Draco approached the box warily, trying to determine whether or not this was a trap of a Dark wizard. Lifting the box cautiously, he examined it. But at the first glance inside the box, he dropped it and it went rolling across the room. 

"What is it?" asked Harry, not being able to contain his curiosity.

"An animal of some sort. 

"Shut up, guys," said Ron fiercely, also disturbed by the pink but not wanting to show it. "It's just a hamster." And he happened to like hamsters; they were cute. Of course, it had been Hermione that had showed him his first Hamster. It was when they were sixteen and he was at her house for the summer.

_"Bugs!" she had called to the gray hamster with a white face and big ears. "Come here, Bugs!"_

_"Why did you name that silly thing Bugs; it's almost as bad as Pig."_

_"Ron, silly," she replied in a relaxed voice that one could only hear during the summer. "He's named after a cartoon I used to like."_

_Ron blinked at her, confused...._

That night they had shared their first kiss, and it had been so nice... wonderful even. Ron missed her so much it was like half of him was missing. Even now.

"'Ron? _Ron_? _Ron_!" Harry shouted, waving his hands in front of Ron's eyes. Ron jumped back, giving a slight squeak and backed into the wall. 

"Don't do that," He gasped and tried to compose himself. Harry looked at him oddly and went back to poking things.

"God, these people needed help," he said, looking around the room again. "Bunch of fairies, I swear to Merlin."

"Or a bunch of Slytherins," Harry said quietly.

"Oh, shut up!" Draco snapped. "Slytherins don't like pink!"

"Pansy did."

"DO NOT TALK ABOUT THAT THING."

"Why not?" Ron asked innocently. Even though he missed Hermione, he still enjoyed annoying Malfoy just as much as he used to. He was such an easy target; so many things ticked him off so easily. 

"Because." 

"That's not an answer," said Harry smartly.

"It wasn't a question either." 

"Yes, technically, but..."

"No buts, keep looking."

"Stiff necked Slytherin," Harry said and lifted one of the lounge chairs, hoping that there was something under it. There was not, unfortunately. "I don't see anything here but pink and blood."

"And a hamster," Ron added.

"Well, will you actually look and stop bothering me with your incompetence?" Draco said, at a loss for words.

"Yes sir, captain jackass sir," Harry said, giving a mock salute, but didn't move. 

Draco growled and stormed off downstairs, annoyed. Ron looked at Harry and they both laughed. "Some things never change, do they?" said Harry wistfully. Ron shuffled around the main room for a bit. "I wouldn't say that, Harry." 

"Ron..." 

"I'm fine; lets keep looking.

"But-"

"Lets keep looking," Ron said firmly.

"There's nothing here," Harry pouted and poked a few things. "_Draco_?" he called.

"_What now?"_

"Anything interesting to poke at down there?"

"SHUT UP, HARRY!" Both Ron and Harry sniggered and moved to another room. 

"You'd think;" said Harry, holding up a beautiful pearl necklace, "if they can afford necklaces like these they could afford to paint their house a decent color." Harry said, holding up a pearl necklace.

Ron shrugged and continued shuffling around the room. "You'd think so." 

RedFeather: End of chapter. More to come. My partner's not here at the moment so you'll just have to here me blabble and blob for a while, okay? Yes, I thought you'd love that. (**Coughnotcough**) Anyways. A short thank you section for the reviews we got…

Crazed Spyromanic: You can't fix everything with magic, you know. That would just make life too simple. And, no, it wasn't Ron's fault that Hermione died-he just thinks it is. All of them do in their own special way. No, G/D are not together yet, but if I have anything to say about it, they will be! ^_^ I think I answer the Weasley Clan question. And the Minister of Magic question. No! I love questions! They're so helpful! I even have one for you! Why are you complaining that we don't have any grammar errors? Is that a bad thing? Do you _want _me to make it grammatically incorrect just for you? ^_~ j/k, but I am curious. 

NobodysBitch: Eee! It's YOU! ^_^ I'm glad you like it. I like it too, to be honest. I'll prolly be on again tonight or Monday. Maybe I can get on AIM tomorrow night if I'm lucky. 

R/R as always. 


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